Prince Emmanuel Kanu, younger brother of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has celebrated him on his 58th birthday, describing him as an “unbreakable lion”.

Emmanuel, in a birthday message posted on his verified Facebook account on Friday, said his brother had remained resilient despite his incarceration.

He said those who believed they had defeated or silenced the IPOB leader had underestimated his resolve.

“Happy Birthday to an unbreakable lion, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” Emmanuel wrote.

He said Kanu’s imprisonment had not prevented him from challenging his conviction through the legal process.

Emmanuel also described his brother as a “seed” that had survived attempts to suppress him, in a message marking his birthday.

Kanu, who is the leader of IPOB, was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Following the judgment, he was transferred to the Sokoto Correctional Centre.

Kanu has appealed the conviction and sentence, with the legal challenge ongoing.

The birthday message comes amid continued attention surrounding Kanu’s legal case and the activities of IPOB, a separatist organisation seeking an independent state of Biafra in southeastern Nigeria.

Emmanuel’s remarks were presented as a personal birthday message and reflected his assessment of his brother’s circumstances.